Piano with tone modulators



March 3, 1931. J, H HAMMONDVJR 1,794,375

PIANO WITH TONE MODULATORS Filed DEG. l0, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Marcha,1931. J. H. HAMMOND, JR 1,194,375

PIANO WITH TONE MODULATORS Filed Dec. l0, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedMar. 3, 1931 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, JR., FGLOUCESTER,`MASSACHUSETTS PIANO WITH TONE MODULATORS Application ledDecember 10, 1928. Serial No. 325,014.

This invention relates to musical instru- Although the novel featureswhich are bements of the percussive type, and more parlieved to becharacteristic of this invention ticularly to a mechanism forcontrolling the will be particularly pointed out in the claims tone ofsuch instruments. appended hereto, the invention itself, as to Theinvention provides a plurality of adits objects and advantages, the modeof `its 55 justable shutters which are positioned adoperation and themanner of its organizajacent the various strings of the instrument tionmay be better understood by referring to and are adapted to control thevolume of the following description taken in connecsound emitted. tionwith the accompanying drawings form- An object of the invention is toprovide ing a part thereof, in which 60 means for obtaining apredetermined distri- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a piano providbutionof the tone over the various parts of ed with shutters and operatingmechanism the musical scale. therefor in accordance with the present in-Another object is to provide for the emisvention;

sion of a given minimum volume of sound Fig. 2 is a front elevationpartly in section e5 when the shutters are in closed position. of thepiano shown in Fig. l;

A further object is to provide mechanism Fig. 3 is a detail view of aportion of the for completely Yclosing the sound chamber at operatingmechanism; the will of the Operator, Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of themodu- A still further object is to provide sound lators or shutters atthe treble end; 70 control mechanism which is capable of oper- Fig. 5 isa section taken on the line 5 5 of ating with lsubstantially equalefficiency over Fig. 4 showing the closure for the shutter; the variousportions of the scale. and

The above objects and others which will Fig. 6 is a view similar to thatof Fig. 5

be apparent as the nature of the invention is Showing the sound aperturein completely 75 disclosed are accomplished by providin closed position.shutters of varying thickness over the di Like reference charactersdenote like parts ferent portions of the musical instrument. in theseveral figures of the drawings.

The thickness Yof the shutters is graduated In the following descriptionand in the '30 from the bass to the treble end of the instruclaims partswill be identified by specific so ment, the thickest portion beingpositioned names forconvenience, but they are intended at the bass endwherethe greatest volume of to be as generic in their application tosimilar sound ordinarily Vis produced. In order to parts as the art willpermit. equally affect sound from the various parts of Referring to thedrawings more in detail,

' 35 the instrument, the shutters at the bass end the system is shown asapplied to a piano 85 where the Wave length of the vibrations is 10which is provided with the usual strings greatest are spaced the longestdistance from 11 mounted .in a frame l?. and is provided the source ofsound, the distance gradually with a standard piano action 13 which isopdecreasing as the treble end is approached. erated in the usual mannerby keys le'.. The

"1 Adjustable openings are provided in certain piano is provided withthree pedals 15, 16 90 shutters, preferably at the treble end, to inand17 which are n'iountcd in a block 18 sussure the emission of apredetermined volume pended from the framework of the. piano by of soundwhen the shutters are in closed potwo uprights 20 and 21. Pedals 16 and17 sition. Mechanism is also provided for closcontrol the sostenuto andloud pedal action ing these openings when desired by the operof thepiano in a well known manner. Pedal 95 ator. 15 when depressed elevatesrod 2Q, the upper The invention also consists in certain new end ofwhich engages bell crank 23, said crank and original features ofconstruction and being pivoted as by pin 24 to the frameworkcombinations of parts hereinafter set forth of the piano. Said bellcrank 23 is operand claimed. atively connected to an arm 30 by means of100 link 25. Spring 26, secured between link 25 and a bracket 27 on theframework of the piano, controls the position of said link formaintaining the shutters,` about to be de scribed, in their closedposition.

Arm 30 is rigidly secured to shaft 3l which is mounted for rotation inbearings 32 and 33 and is provided with a collar 341Which preventslongitudinal movement thereof. Rigidly secured to shaft 3l are arms 34and 35 to which Vare connected links 36A and 37 respectively. Said linksare secured to rods 40 and 4l respectively Whichslide in' collars 44 and52. ,Y Y

limited by collars 42 and 43 Which are rigidly secured on said rod.Springs 45 normally maintain collars 43 and 44 in contact andthe rod inthe position shownl in Fig. 3. f

Collars 44 vare pivotally secured to arms 46 which are carried by thepivoted tone modulators 47. lSaid modulators are mounted forr rotationabout their longitudinal axis 'in the frame of the piano in any desiredmanner.

j Rod 4l is sli-dabl-y secured in collars 52 which are pivoted to arms54,7said arms being carried by an equal number of tone modulators 55Which are mounted for rotation in the framework of the piano about theirlongitudinal axis. Movement of rod 4l is limited by collars 50 and 51Whichv are secured thereto and the normal position of said rodi is con?trolled by springs 53 which operate between collars 50Vv and 52. Y y

The various tone modulators 55 are of a thicknessfvarying uniformlyfroml the bass to the treble endvof the piano, the thickest modulatorsbeing located at the .bass end. Said modulators are also mounted at anangle With respect to the plane of the strings of the piano, andthesounding board thereof, the modulators over the treble end beingnearerto t-he strings than those 'over the bass end.V

Certain of the tone modulators over rthe v`treble end are provided withopenings 57 Wliichmay be closed by sliders 58, adapted to slide insuitable guides 59. Theunder-sun face of the tone modulator adjacent theopening 57 is provided Witha groove 61 in which normally rests thecurved'member Y62 VWhich is secured at its end to'pivoted arms 63 and64. Arm 64 is provided'with a slot 67 in which pin 68 carried by collar69 is adapted -to slide. Collar 69 is rigidlyy secured to rodl 4l in anysuitablemanner.

In. the operation of the device above described, the tone modulators arenormally held in open'position by means of'spring26. vWhen the pedal l5is depressed, the rod 3l is rotated and through rods 40 and 4l causespivotalmovement of the various tone modulators, thereby bringing theminto closed. po-

closed, pedal l5 may be still further depressed y v2. In a musicalstringed Afoot pedal is released a reverse action takes place, firstopening the various slots and then The movement of rod 40 in collars 44isVV allowing the tone modulators themselves to open. f 'It isaccordinglyr possible to open and close the slots of thetone modulatorsWithout changing the'adjustmentrof the sliders 58 which mayhavebeenjcarefully adjustedy vto Vgiverthe zproper Vopenings overlcertain strings torprod'uce the desired effect in the piece beingplayed. l

While certain novel features ofthe invention have been shown anddescribed andare pointed out in theannexed claims, it Will be understoodthat various omissions, substitutions and changesY in the forms anddetails of thedevice illustratedand:A inits operation maybe made bythose skilledl in the art without departing from the spirit of.` theinven-r OII. j

What is claimedis:4 Y Y 1. In a musical stringed instrument, means forcontrolling the production of sound comprising a casing having lopeningstherein, a plurality ofrnormally openA closures forrsaid openings, meansforsim-ultaneously koperating said closures, and meansfor modifying theaction of certain of said closures, to vary the volume of sound emittedAover a portion onlyfof a musical scale. f Y instrument, means forcontrollingthe production of sound comprising a casing having openingstherein, a plurality of normally openw closures for said 1^ openings,means for simultaneously operatling'said closures, means .for modifyingthe therefor, the closures adjacent the strings tuned to the lower notesbeing spaced vfurther therefrom than the closures adjacent the stringstuned to the higher notes, andl means i12 for actuating said closuresfor variablyeontrolling the intensity of'f thev sound emitted i v bysaid instrument. `sltion. After said modulators have'been fully 4. Incombination With'a stringedv musical instrument, al casing thereforhav-ingsound 13() openings therein, a plurality of closures for saidopenings, said closures being of uniformly varying thickness from thebass to the treble end of said instrument.

5. In combination with a stringed musical instrument, a casing thereforhaving sound openings therein, a plurality of closures for saidopenings, said closures being of uniformly varying thickness from thebass to the treble end of said instrument, the closures of greaterthickness being located near said bass end.

6. In combinationwith a stringed musical instrument, a casing thereforhaving sound openings, closures for said openings, certain of saidclosures having slots therein, and adjustable means for closing saidslots.

7 In a stringed musical instrument, a casing having sound openings, tonemodulators for closing said openings, certain of said modulators havinga slot therein, and means for closing said slot after said modulatorshave been brought into closed position.

8. In combination with a stringed musical instrument, a casing thereforhaving a. sound opening, a closure for said opening comprising tonemodulators, certain of said modulators having slots, adjustable closuresfor said slots, and mechanism independent of said closures forcompletely closing said slots after said modulators have been broughtinto closed position. Y

9. In combination with a stringed instrument, a casing therefor, tonemodulators pivotally secured in said casing, certain of said modulatorslocated adjacent the treble end of said instrument having aperturestherein, means for controlling the position of said modulators, andmeans for cont-rolling the size of opening of said aperture.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, JR.

